World’s top three on course for Champion

Cirrus des Aigles returns victorious after last year’s QIPCO Champion Stakes. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

The big three are looking more and more likely to clash in the £1.3m QIPCO Champion Stakes, the highlight of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot two weeks from today.

The world’s number one, Frankel, is reported to be in rude health as he approaches what is expected to be the last race of his glorious unbeaten career.

World number two, Cirrus des Aigles, absent since the end of May, made a spectacular return to the track at Longchamp today, slamming his rivals by nine lengths in the Prix Dollar despite his trainer, Corine Barande-Barbe, saying that last year’s QIPCO Champion Stakes winner would need today’s race to help bring him to full fitness.

Meanwhile joint number three in the world this year, Nathaniel, is reported to be recovering quickly from the illness which forced him out of tomorrow’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp and his connections are optimistic that he will be ready for Europe’s richest mile and a quarter race a week on Saturday.

What a showdown is in prospect on Ascot’s royal turf!

Frankel and Cirrus des Aigles have never met, but Frankel and Nathaniel have once – when they made their first ever appearances on a racecourse in a maiden race at Newmarket in 2010.

Nathaniel got closer to Frankel that day than any other horse has since – just half a length was the winning margin – adding further spice to the big race that is now fast approaching.

Cirrus des Aigles, meanwhile, thrilled his trainer with his performance in Paris this afternoon.

Barande-Barbe said: "It’s not very often that you get to see exactly what you want, but that is what happened today.

"I think that was a very good workout for Ascot and the Champion Stakes."

Jockey Olivier Peslier said: "It was all very easy for me today and it’s very exciting to be going over to England to race Frankel.

"In England they have Frankel and in France we have Cirrus Des Aigles. He is a very popular horse over here.

"I think because he was gelded, he’s been running for a long time and people get to see him a lot."

Next up is tomorrow’s Arc in which Camelot, St Nicholas Abbey and French Derby winner Saonois, all engaged in the QIPCO Champion Stakes as well, are set to run.